Many consumer products are packaged to provide single use dispensing of the product. In other words, the package is not adapted to be resealed once it is opened. Applicable products for use in connection with such containers include but are not limited to nutritional foods in the form of high carbohydrate gels for athletes, toothpaste, shampoo, cosmetics and the like.
Typically, a single use container and dispenser is constructed from a laminate comprising two sheets sealed along a perimeter edge to form an interior region containing the product. To dispense the product, an opening is made into the package by sufficiently tearing along an edge of the package. The laminate sheets may be constructed from a material that is easily torn or otherwise adapted to be torn along defined regions of the package. Once opened, the container is squeezed to cause the product to be dispensed.
One problem associated with such containers is litter. That is, because the packages are designed or configured to cause the opening to occur along a desired corner or end region of the package, the corner or end region is often separated from the main package body when opening the package. Since many of the products dispensed from single use containers are consumed by athletes while running, kayaking, cycling or the like, the separated corner or end region is often misplaced or otherwise lost thereby creating a litter problem.
Accordingly, a need has existed in the art for a container and dispenser of the single use type that eliminates the above noted problems associated with the prior art.